James B. // Indianapolis, IN
When did you build your wall?
March of 2020
How long did it take you to build?
After hours and on weekends for about a week or two.
Not including holds and padding, how much did it cost you to build?
+/- $300
Did anything in particular inspire your wall design?
I grew up climbing in the powerhouse bouldering gym known as Climb Time Indy. Immediately when you walk in there is a long and intimidating 45 degree wall that has been the hangout for crushers and aspiring crushers for over 30 years. Pull up a chair, grab a laser pointer, and pull hard. Day after day, this was the spot everyone gravitated to, and where people got strong. Looking at fulfilling my 20-year-old dream: a home wall, especially with a limited height in my garage, I wanted it steep. I also wanted a place to hone my crack skills, hence the crack in the middle. You could say I modeled it after the 45 wall at Climb Time Indy.
What was the most difficult aspect of the design and build?
I was only working with materials I could fit inside of a mid-size SUV. I couldn’t fit any timbers longer than 8ft without punching out the front windshield (this may have happened on a different project…), and the largest piece of plywood that would fit was 2’x4′. This led to some innovative design solutions.
What would you do differently?
I would make it BIGGER!!!!!!!!!
What is your favorite aspect?
Being able to set problems that specifically target my weaknesses or mimic a project seems invaluable.
Any words of wisdom to aspiring homewallers?
Unless you can build a wall taller than 10-15 feet, go steep. You’ll get more wall out of a shorter space, and if all you have to do is stand up and you’re at the ceiling, it will get boring quick. Also, have other people set problems on your wall.
Do you have any connection to climbing brands or gyms?
Professionally, no. I did climb at Hoosier Heights until recently, and years before that I worked and climbed at Climb Time Indy.
